Victim Christopher Mannino's widow Michele Weil holds a family photo after the sentencing of Brian Andreski, who was boating while drunk last June. (May 24, 2013) (Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan)

The wife of a man killed last year by a drunken boater in a Great South Bay collision confronted the defendant in court Friday, telling him, "I wish it could be you who was dead." With a wavering voice, Michele Weil addressed Brian Andreski in a full Suffolk County courtroom shortly before he was sent to prison for 4 to 12 years. Tears flowed when Weil spoke about how desperately her two children...

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The wife of a man killed last year by a drunken boater in a Great South Bay collision confronted the defendant in court Friday, telling him, "I wish it could be you who was dead."

With a wavering voice, Michele Weil addressed Brian Andreski in a full Suffolk County courtroom shortly before he was sent to prison for 4 to 12 years.

Tears flowed when Weil spoke about how desperately her two children miss their father, Christopher Mannino.

"The culpability lies with you, Brian," Weil said. "You took my life away . . . I wish it could be you who was dead, not Chris. I pray you have children some day and see what you took."

Mannino, 39, of West Islip, was killed June 23 while standing on the back deck of a fishing boat beneath the Robert Moses Causeway. He took a rare day off from his construction job to compete in a shark-fishing tournament.

Andreski, 27, of Dix Hills, at the controls of a speedboat, plowed into the side of the fishing vessel, striking Mannino in the face and chest. More than half of the bones in his body were broken, authorities said later.

Andreski pleaded guilty in December to aggravated vehicular homicide and second-degree manslaughter -- the first time vehicular laws had been used in a boating case in New York State.

At the time of his plea, Andreski said he had spent the night drinking beer and "rocket fuel" -- a drink made with 151-proof rum -- on Fire Island.

Andreski, who had no criminal record, could have faced a maximum of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison. As part of the plea deal with Suffolk County Court James Hudson, prosecutors recommended a sentence of 5 to 15 years.

As he imposed the sentence, Hudson told Andreski his good background "makes the crimes you committed inexplicable . . . Your sentence will have an end. There is no such comfort for Mr. Mannino's family."

Weil and other family members made that clear.

"Brian Andreski has impacted my life in a way that I'll never recover from," Weil said. "I stand before you dead, but alive."

Weil sobbed in the arms of her mother-in-law as Mannino's younger sister, Nicole Altmann, spoke of how devoted he was to his family, particularly his children, Hailee, 7, and Christopher Jr., 12.

"Brian Andreski not only killed my brother; he killed the spirits of everyone who knew and loved my brother," she said.

Altmann said later that she hopes people keep this case in mind as the summer boating season begins, as did Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota.

"I just want safety on the waterways," he said.

Anthony Faraone, Mannino's younger brother, urged Andreski to "get your mind right, man . . . You're going to have to live with this the rest of your life."

Maninno's mother, Francine Faraone, said her eldest child "was the pillar of our family. I had him when I was 18 years old. I grew up with Chris."

Defense attorney William Keahon told Hudson that his client was an honest and compassionate man.